Sweet Baby J'ai
| Sweet Baby J'ai | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | J'ai Janett Michel |
| Also known as | Sweet Baby |
| Genres | Jazz, R&B, pop and soul |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, actress |
| Instruments | Vocals, Washboard, Spoons |
| Years active | 1985 — present |
| Labels | SMG |
| Website | SweetBabyJai.com |
Sweet Baby J'ai is an American contemporary jazz singer, songwriter, producer, arranger, playwright, and actress. She lives in Los Angeles, CA.
J'ai Janett Michel was first called Sweet Baby by her mother, who claimed she was the sweetest child ever born. The nickname stuck. Born to Helen and John T., J'ai grew up in Kansas City. At only five years old, she was already writing songs and by the age of eight, sneaking in the backdoors of clubs on 18th & Vine to watch her father play with top jazz musicians. Her uncle, Vernon Gower was a bassist with Billie Holiday and Lionel Hampton and her cousin Michael Howell, was the guitarist with Dizzie Gillespie.
By age ten she had started classical piano studies and by twelve she had switched to violin. She played bass in high school and some guitar in college until she got her hands on a 12 string and couldn't figure it out. When she spent some time in Louisiana with relatives she came across an old back porch band playing washboard, spoons, tubs, and combs. According to J'ai, "All sorts of wonderful sounds were coming out of them. They were playing jug or Zydeco music, but I heard the transition to jazz!” As one critic pointed out, “This ain't no backyard hoe down…she will have you swooning before the concert is over.”
Sweet Baby J'ai got her start under the guidance of her mentor, the legendary Phil Moore. Shortly thereafter she could be found performing in jazz clubs in Paris. Back home in the U.S., she benefited early on in her career from the support and direction of working with the legendary, saxophonist Teddy Edwards. For many years she worked with the gifted musicians, pianist, Nate Morgan, late greats, guitarist Ronald Muldrow and drummer Sherman Ferguson.
She has been heard on radio and television both nationally and internationally. She has performed extensively in the U.S., Europe and Asia and has been featured at numerous concert halls, festivals, clubs and benefits, from the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Ford Amphitheater, Playboy Jazz Festival to Tokyo Concert Hall, Casablanca's Super Dome and more. Sweet Baby J'ai has won awards and been recognized as “Best Entertainer”, “Pick of the Week” and “Pick of the Month”, many times (LA Times, NY Times, LA Weekly, Music Connection Magazine).
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